Date: 5 January 2025
Venue: Pandara Park, New Delhi
Organized by: Delhi Odia Nari Kalyan Samiti 

The dawn of 2025 brought yet another vibrant chapter in Delhi’s cultural calendar as Pandara Park transformed into a little slice of Western Odisha. The Pushpuni Bhetghat 2025, organized by the Delhi Odia Nari Kalyan Samiti, once again united Odia families from across the National Capital Region in a magnificent celebration of faith, food, and folklore. This year’s edition deepened the legacy built in 2024, blending continuity with creativity and reaffirming the community’s commitment to cultural upliftment and collective joy.

The Spirit of Pushpuni

For Odias, पुषपूनि marks the completion of harvest a thanksgiving to Mother Earth and a joyful moment to share abundance with family and neighbours. Celebrated every winter, it epitomizes humility, hard work, and harmony with nature. Bringing that essence to Delhi, the Samiti recreated the festival’s rustic charm through Sambalpuri décor, folk music, and traditional delicacies. The event’s theme, “Harmony through Heritage”, reflected both the nostalgia of home and the optimism of diaspora life.

Distinguished Guests and Their Messages

The grandeur of Pushpuni Bhetghat 2025 was elevated by the presence of eminent dignitaries and well-wishers of the Odia community:

• Shri Parvesh Verma, Hon’ble Member of Parliament, lauded the community for its unity and patriotism. He emphasized that regional cultures like Odisha’s enrich the national mosaic and keep India’s democratic spirit vibrant through shared traditions.
• Mrs Priyal Bhardwaj, General Secretary of BJP Mahila Morcha, Delhi noted social activist and founder Sangini Saheli Organization, praised the women of Delhi Odia Nari Kalyan Samiti for their leadership in cultural revival and humanitarian work. She highlighted how women’s collectives can strengthen grassroots cultural diplomacy while empowering future generations.
• Shri Sunil Yadav, continuing his association from the previous year, expressed joy at witnessing the growing scale of participation. He commended the volunteers and performers, noting that Pushpuni Bhetghat exemplifies “unity in diversity at its most heartfelt form.”
• Shri Anil Valmiki, civic representative and advocate of inclusive urban development, congratulated the organizers for creating a platform where art, culture, and social responsibility converge.

Each dignitary’s address resonated with respect for Odisha’s cultural richness and appreciation for the Samiti’s consistent efforts to nurture it on Delhi soil.

A Festival of Colours, Dance and Devotion

The central attraction of the event remained the dazzling of the Sambalpuri sensational Singer RUKU SUNA’s Sambalpuri performances that brought the rhythms of Western Odisha alive. The thunderous beats of dhol, nishan, and mahuri filled the air as dancers performed the lively Dalkhai, Karma Naach, and Rangabati Fusion, symbolizing the vitality of rural Odisha. The performers, dressed in exquisite hand-woven Sambalpuri sarees and kurtas, mesmerized spectators with synchronized footwork and infectious energy. 

Equally captivating was a children’s cultural segment, where the younger generation enacted scenes from Odia folklore and recited poems honouring nature’s bounty. These budding artists reminded everyone that heritage lives through storytelling, song, and shared joy.

The cultural exhibition drew huge crowds throughout the day. Stalls displayed intricate Dokra metal craft, Pattachitra paintings, hand-loomed textiles, and regional culinary delights. The exhibition not only promoted Odia artisanship but also fostered local pride and economic encouragement for traditional craft preservation.

Felicitation and Honouring Excellence

Continuing the tradition of recognizing community service, the Samiti hosted a felicitation ceremony honouring educators, artists, and volunteers who had contributed meaningfully to cultural and humanitarian causes. Awards were presented to members who spearheaded literacy campaigns, women’s self-help initiatives, and youth mentorship programs. The applause for each honouree echoed gratitude and respect, reinforcing the idea that individual achievement gains true meaning when it uplifts the collective.

Culinary Delights and Community Bonding

No Odia celebration is complete without its feast, and Pushpuni Bhetghat 2025 delighted everyone with a grand community lunch that celebrated regional flavours. From ghuguni, pitha, and chenna poda, the menu was a nostalgic journey through Odisha’s kitchens. Volunteers served food with warmth and laughter, turning the meal into a symbol of unity that transcended age and background.

Families sat together on mats under trees, sharing stories of their hometowns Kalahandi, Sambalpur, Balangir, Bargarh, each memory blending into the aroma of mustard oil and freshly cooked rice. The laughter of children, the rhythmic music, and the scent of home food painted Pandara Park in the hues of togetherness.

Women’s Leadership and Cultural Upliftment

The 2025 celebration highlighted once again the organizational excellence of the Delhi Odia Nari Kalyan Samiti. From conceptual planning to on-ground management, women volunteers led every sphere of the event  stage coordination, hospitality, publicity, and cultural programming. Their teamwork embodied empowerment in its truest sense, proving that preservation of culture is a form of social leadership.

Through Pushpuni Bhetghat, the Samiti advanced its mission of cultural education, gender equality, and youth inclusion. The event also launched a year-long heritage awareness campaign, encouraging Odia families in Delhi to teach children traditional songs, idioms, and customs, ensuring that the diaspora remains rooted even while global in outlook.

Unity through Diversity

The audience of over 1500 participants included Odias from all corners of Delhi-NCR as well as friends from other linguistic communities who came to experience Odisha’s warmth. Many non-Odia guests remarked on how the event radiated an inclusive atmosphere open, joyful, and deeply human. The diversity of attendees itself stood as a testament to India’s living pluralism, where every culture finds celebration rather than isolation.

Moments of Reflection and Gratitude

As twilight descended on Pandara Park, the final Dalkhai dance drew spontaneous participation from young and old alike. The rhythmic claps, colourful attire, and exuberant singing merged into an unforgettable crescendo of joy. Following the performances, Ankit Suna offered closing reflections, capturing the emotional heartbeat of the evening:

“Pushpuni binds us to our soil even as we soar across horizons. In every song we sing and every dance we perform, we pay homage to our ancestors and to the land that nurtured us. The Delhi–Odisha connect is not just geographic it is spiritual, built on shared values of compassion, respect, and unity. Let us carry this essence forward throughout the year.”

His words encapsulated the collective sentiment a blend of nostalgia for the homeland and pride in its living culture. The applause that followed was both heartfelt and prolonged, echoing long after the stage lights dimmed.

Legacy and Looking Forward

Pushpuni Bhetghat 2025 concluded not merely as a cultural gathering but as a movement of belonging. The event reinforced the belief that heritage is dynamic it thrives when celebrated, evolves when shared, and strengthens when led by communities united in purpose.

As participants dispersed into the chilly Delhi night, carrying gifts of sambalpuri gamuchha and warm memories, there lingered a sense of fulfilment that culture, when nurtured collectively, becomes the heartbeat of identity. The Delhi Odia Nari Kalyan Samiti once again proved that geographical distance can never diminish the fragrance of one’s roots; it only makes the blossom of culture more radiant.

The Pushpuni Bhetghat series has now become a tradition of unity, pride, and renewal, inspiring not just Odias but all who value the beauty of diversity. With every passing year, it promises to keep sowing the seeds of friendship and cultural consciousness across the capital, ensuring that the spirit of Odisha continues to bloom vibrantly in the heart of Delhi.